Stella v. LVMH Perfumes and Cosmetics USA

PAMELA STELLA, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY SITUATED, PLAINTIFF,v.LVMH PERFUMES AND COSMETICS USA, INC., A NEW YORK CORPORATION, DEFENDANT.

The opinion of the court was delivered by: Elaine E. Bucklo United States District Judge

Defendant LVMH Perfumes and Cosmetics USA, Inc. ("LVMH") moves to dismiss the complaint brought by plaintiff Pamela Stella, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, for failure to state a claim under FED. R. CIV. P. 12(b)(6). For the following reasons, the motion is granted in part.

I.

Defendant is in the business of selling luxury goods, including Hennessy cognac, Dom Perignon champagne, and Christian Dior perfumes and cosmetics. This case concerns Christian Dior's "Addict Positive Red" lipstick ("lipstick"), which is sold at various retailers throughout the United States. The complaint alleges that on October 11, 2007, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics ("CFS") made public a report revealing that the LVMH's lipstick products contain dangerous levels of lead. According to plaintiff, the tests conducted by the CFS revealed that the lipstick contained lead in the amount of .21 parts per million ("ppm"), when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has established a limit of .1 ppm for levels of lead in candy.

Plaintiff alleges she purchased the lipstick at a Nordstrom department store in June 2007 for personal use. As a result, she claims to have been exposed to lead, which is contained in the lipstick. According to the complaint, LVMH's marketing of the lipstick "affirmatively and impliedly" assured consumers that the product was safe for use.

The complaint alleges defendant violated the ICFA. To state a claim under the ICFA plaintiff must allege "(1) a deceptive act or practice by the defendant, (2) the defendant's intent that the plaintiff rely on the deception, (3) the occurrence of the deception in the course of conduct involving trade or commerce, and (4) actual damage to the plaintiff (5) proximately caused by the deception." Avery v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 216 Ill.2d 100, 180, 835 N.E.2d 801, 850 (Ill. 2005) (citation omitted). In addition, claims under the ICFA must be pled with particularity. See Villasenor v. Am. Signature Inc., No. 06 C 5493, 2008 WL 904888, at *2 (Mar. 31, 2008) (Kendall, J.) (citations omitted).

When the allegations are taken in the best light to plaintiff, they state a claim under the ICFA and provide defendant with adequate notice of the claim. The complaint specifically alleges defendant failed to include lead in its ingredient list for the lipstick and that she would not have purchased the lipstick had she known she would have been exposed to the lead contained in the product. Plaintiff alleges that as the manufacturer of the lipstick, defendant knew or should have known that lead was an ingredient and that it failed to disclose this fact to consumers in listing the product's ingredients. Plaintiff seeks to recover actual damages in the form of pecuniary damages (the cost of the lipstick) and medical monitoring. Actual damages include pecuniary losses. Id. at *4. And in the absence of guidance from the Illinois Supreme Court on the propriety of medical monitoring claims under Illinois law, I find persuasive the federal case law finding such a claim cognizable under Illinois law. See, e.g., Carey v. Kerr-McGee Chemical Corp., 999 F. Supp. 1109, 1118-19 (N.D. Ill. 1998) (Gettleman, J.).*fn1 Finally, plaintiff has alleged that her reliance on defendant's omission caused her to buy the lipstick and become exposed to lead. This sufficiently alleges proximate cause. Accordingly, the motion to dismiss count I is denied.

B. Counts II and III: Breach of Implied Warranty Pursuant to the U.C.C. and the MMWA.

Defendant first argues that plaintiff has failed to plead the goods are not "merchantable" under Illinois law. 810 ILCS § 5/2- 314. For goods to be considered "merchantable," they must conform to a set of standards which includes being "fit for the ordinary purposes for which such goods are used." 810 ILCS 5/2-314(c). Although defendant concedes the complaint plainly alleges there are dangerous levels of lead in the lipstick, it still argues this does not sufficiently provide the lipstick was not fit for its ordinary purpose. This argument has no merit under federal pleading standards. See Concentra Health Servs., 496 F.3d at 776-77, 779-80. Both parties agree the ordinary purpose of lipstick is to color its user's lips in a reasonably safe manner. The complaint plainly alleges the lipstick was not safe. Accordingly, the motion to dismiss on this ground is denied.

Defendant also moves to dismiss counts II and III on the ground that plaintiffs failed to provide pre-suit notice as required by the UCC and the MMWA. Under the UCC, a plaintiff-buyer pursuing a breach of warranty claim must give the seller notice of the claimed breach or be barred from recovery. U.C.C. § 2-607; 810 ILCS 5/2-607(3)(A). This notice requirement is intended to encourage pre-suit settlement negotiations, see U.C.C. § 2-607 cmt. 4; see also Reyes v. McDonald's Corp., Nos. 06 C 1604, 06 C 2813, 2006 WL 3253579, at *3, (N.D. Ill. Nov. 8, 2006) (Kendall, J.), and is subject to two exceptions. Direct notice is not required when (1) the seller has actual knowledge of the defect of the particular product; or (2) a consumer plaintiff suffers a personal injury, in which case the notice requirement could be satisfied by filing a lawsuit against the seller. See Allstate Ins. Co. v. Daimler Chrysler, No. 03 C 6107, 2004 WL 442679, at *2 (N.D. Ill. Mar. 9, 2004) (Lefkow, J.) (citing Connick v. Suzuki Motor Co. Ltd., 174 Ill.2d 482, 492, 675 N.E.2d 584, 589 (Ill. 1990)).

When taken as a whole and in the best light to plaintiff, the complaint sufficiently alleges LVMH had actual knowledge of the presence of lead in the lipstick. (Compl. at ¶¶ 4, 6, 25.) Counts II and III allege that "LVMH knew or should have known that the concerned lipstick products did not meet the capabilities as represented and marketed." (Id. at ¶¶ 60, 68.) This is enough to fit the claim under the first identified exception to the direct notice requirement. That said, the claim only survives ...

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